Red bubble algae

[degibson84]

I noticed a few small red bubbles. Looks to be a bubble algae. They are in an impossible spot for me to get to in my tank.

Has anyone had experience with natural removal of this algae? Not sure I want to try an emerald crab due to past experience with them attacking livestock.

 

[degibson84]

No one?

 

[duncangweller]

Get out your tweezers and pick them out one by one. I had to remove all my rock work and pick it all off. You'll be amazed how much of the stuff is tucked into little crevices that you can't even see.

 

[degibson84]

That's te problem. I can't reach where they are. It is on the very bottom of the rock structure and I can't reach the bottom of my tank with my hands

 

[Subsea]

Emerald Crabs will eat bubble algae. When they are starving,they will eat anything they can catch.
In modest populations, I do not have a problem with bubble algae. Pick your poison.
Patrick

 

[degibson84]

Emerald Crabs will eat bubble algae. When they are starving,they will eat anything they can catch.
In modest populations, I do not have a problem with bubble algae. Pick your poison.
Patrick

Are you saying that you have had emeralds or do have wmwralds that eat red bubbles

 

[wcarterh]

There is a nuumber of CUC members whom eat bubble algae. The issue is when it is broke, it will release spores. CUC members are hit or miss whether they will eat it. Honestly, the easiest way to control it would be to lower and maintain low your phosphates.

 

[degibson84]

My Hannah checker reads 0.00. I'm running GFO and also an ATS scrubber

 

[Subsea]

Are you saying that you have had emeralds or do have wmwralds that eat red bubbles

I am saying bubble algae is not a big deal. If your parameters are at low nutrient levels, bubble algae will not multiply prolifically.
I have tanks with Emerald Crabs and no bubble algae and no problems. If there is other food in the tank, it is possible that some Emerald Crabs will overlook bubble algae.
Patrick

 

[degibson84]

That's what scares me about emeralds though. If they don't have enough food they will go rogue and eat anything they can

 

[wcarterh]

It's possible. Though that's a crab for you. I think that's why mine doesn't touch the algae. He doesn't take food from me, and always seems happy.

GFO AND ATS scrubber? Are you running a full load of GFO and changing out about once a month? I ask since I would've thought with a good running ATS, you wouldn't need GFO and wouldn't exhaust it. On the flip side, if you were running GFO, it would retard the ATS growth, causing it to be inneffient.

 

[wcarterh]

Mine is a live and let live. Though I did make the mistake of getting an arrow crab. It was rather.....greedy. One night it was doing it's normal thing, the next morning it was in pieces. And none of my fish are aggressive.

 

[degibson84]

It's possible. Though that's a crab for you. I think that's why mine doesn't touch the algae. He doesn't take food from me, and always seems happy.

GFO AND ATS scrubber? Are you running a full load of GFO and changing out about once a month? I ask since I would've thought with a good running ATS, you wouldn't need GFO and wouldn't exhaust it. On the flip side, if you were running GFO, it would retard the ATS growth, causing it to be inneffient.

I run about 1 cup of GFO but I havent changed it out in about 2 months. I noticed that the colors are coming back in my sps so I didnt want to put in fresh to and have it strip my system of po4 and lose all colors again.

 

[wcarterh]

What kind/manufacturer of gfo and how many gallon system?

Which I can understand. I've generally seen on the boards po4 of around 0.03 ppm for good growth. Though you'd have to have a photo based phosphate checker, either the hanna checker low or ultra-low to be able to tell that. That's assuming it's not getting absorbed by algae or such. Though I honestly can't say from personal experience. Though what you say tracks with the results.. I generally deal with LPS.

 

[degibson84]

BRS regular GFO on a system of about 250 total gallons

 

[wcarterh]

So quarter the recommended amount. How heavily loaded are you? I'm leaning with subsea. From the sounds of it, the best way for controlling would be CUC of some sort. Do you know any reefers in your area? One or a few may have one or a few that work that they would be willing to sell (that has been on "good behavior").

 

[degibson84]

Not real heavy on my bio load

2 black and gold chromis
2 clowns
Yellow coris
Melanurus
Bicolor blenny
Tomini tang
Niger trigger.

All fish are very small. Even my tang and trigger are small both about 4 inches